aegis
by ohlawsons
Summary: It's been a long ten months for the Alliance. But they still have a long way to go, and Empress Vaylin has turned her attention from her wayward family to the growing thorn in her side. As alliances are made and secrets are revealed, Rei realizes that the Tirall family is far more complicated than she'd originally thought. [KotET fic, AU in that Vaylin gets a redemption arc]
1. Air

_**A/N:** so this fic kinda happened on accident. like everything involving rei and theron does, tbh._

 _anyway. instead of an intricately planned out longfic like i'd thought i'd do, i'm instead doing a chronological one-shot collection based off of a set of alphabet prompts from tumblr. call it an experiment._

 _i'm also drowning in the seven thousand other writing projects i've got, so no promises as to an update schedule. hopefully i'll have something out every week or two._

 _so here's the first chapter, or as i've been referring to it: "the accidental lazy morning makeout chapter." "accidental" bc it was supposed to be a political/infodump chapter and it got so, so far off track. set prior to chapter one of kotet._

* * *

The ground was cold against her bare feet, and the ever-present draft that plagued the halls of the Odessen base left her chilled. She regretted not bringing a robe or jacket; with only the loose pants she'd been sleeping in and a thin, long-sleeved shirt — one of Theron's, she thought, grabbed accidentally in the haste of responding to a call — Reiyaxa was shivering by the time she made it to the war room.

It was quiet on Odessen; four in the morning was too late for most staying up far into the night, and too early for those who woke before anyone else. There were some who were undoubtedly still working — Yvara Nadal, the cathar doctor who always kept odd hours, or perhaps Talos if he was occupied with a project, or any of the other personnel who preferred to work without interruption — but Rei encountered none of them, managing to make it out to the glade behind the base without seeing anyone other than the few guards that remained posted at the entrance.

She wasn't fond of these late night rendezvous, glorified tutoring sessions that remained secret more out of paranoia than actual necessity and seemed to always arise at the _worst_ times. However, Zaara hadn't contacted Rei in quite some time, not about this, and her easy agreement to meet with the agent was brought on by curiosity as much as it was concern.

It didn't feel like six months — let alone six _years_ — since Valkorion ( _Vitiate_ , her mind spat in correction, and the name made her fists clench and her teeth grind together) had ruined things for all of them.

They'd _found_ him, tracked him down and _beaten_ him — and yet it was anything but a victory. Taken by Arcann and trapped in carbonite, Rei and Zaara had been lost to Zakuul along with Davri Sohms, the infuriating Republic soldier who she'd once sent assassins after — although that had been back when she was still on the Dark Council, still responded to _Darth Nox_ , and yet her relationship with the former Major hadn't improved much since — and the three of them had each suffered from the effects of the flawed freezing process differently. Rei, in an cruel twist of fate that _still_ left her shaking with rage nearly a year later, had been spared due to the presence of the Force spirits she kept locked within her own mind, and had been half crazed when Lana had awoken her. Valkorion had sought refuge within Zaara's mind, and had protected her in a similar manner. Sohms hadn't fared nearly as well, and had been in poor health for weeks after and lost one of her legs, and even now still had occasional bouts of sickness.

A fitting outcome for the brutish soldier, in Rei's opinion, but not her concern — unlike Zaara, and the adverse effects of keeping the galaxy's most hated Sith in her mind.

She found the togruta at her usual spot in the quiet glade, sitting alone at the edge of a small pool of water. In contrast to Rei, Zaara was fully dressed — charcoal shirt and pants, boots that reached her knees, long black jacket folded neatly on the ground beside her — and she made no acknowledgment of Rei as she joined her.

Without a word, Rei sat beside Zaara, crossing her legs and folding her hands in her lap. She focused on their reflections in the still water, waiting until Zaara opened her eyes to speak. "You said it was important."

"I don't think he's gone," she stated plainly, the deep brown of her eyes boring into Rei's own. "I think he's just… waiting."

"For what?"

"I don't know." Zaara paused, lips pressing into a thin frown; it was an expression Rei knew well, one that either meant she had several ideas, but none developed enough to share, or for whatever reason was choosing not to trust Rei with her thoughts just yet. "It could be anything, and that… that worries me."

The thought of Valkorion lying in wait was ominous enough on its own, but Rei's own experiences with Force ghosts made her even more wary than she would've otherwise been. "It's likely just a trick," she said with a frown. "He's toying with you. Would you be nearly as worried if he were still here mocking you?"

She hesitated. "No. Maybe. I just—" Zaara's words cut off in a frustrated huff. "Why can't I force him out? If he's in _my_ mind, why can't I make him reveal himself?"

"Because it isn't that simple," Rei snapped, trying — and failing — to keep the words from being _too_ condescending. "It would take an incredibly deep meditation, on top of years of training. Not to mention an intrinsic understanding of the Force. _I_ could probably do it, but you?"

"I'm not _Sith_ , I know." There was venom in Zaara's voice, a cold malice that Rei hadn't ever heard from the agent. "I want him _gone_ ," she spat. "I want him out of my mind. I don't want anyone in my head besides myself." With that final declaration, Zaara stood, grabbed her jacket, and marched back towards the base, leaving Rei alone to contemplate her bizarre reaction.

She supposed that no one would really _want_ to have the former Emperor locked in their psyche, but Zaara's sudden outburst was somewhat odd when compared to the methodical way she'd approached Valkorion prior to then. She'd gone to Rei first, because she was a Sith with experience in sharing headspace; she'd then gone to her sister, because Cori had spent time under Vitiate's influence and was something like a symbol of pride to the Jedi; she'd most recently gone to Sana-Rae, because the Voss' approach to the Force provided a unique method of meditation. Things had been progressing well — with Rei, at least — and she had to wonder if something had happened to make Zaara so volatile.

Not that it was Rei's concern any longer; it was calm and quiet out, and she chose to stay in the glade for another hour and left only when the first hints of sunlight began to creep up through the trees. She stood, stretching, groaning a bit as her half-asleep limbs awoke. Still stiff, she padded back through the base to her quarters — making a point to ignore everyone already awake, with the exception of Talos, who she greeted with a little wave — and locked the door behind her, hoping for a relatively uninterrupted morning.

Still shivering, she slid back into bed beside Theron; Rei felt a flash of guilt as he stirred, but it was soon replaced with a grin and a bit of inspiration. With the most innocent _good morning_ she could muster, Rei draped an arm around his waist and let her still-freezing fingers run along his bare skin.

Grumbling something into his pillow, Theron rolled over onto his stomach and put a few inches between the two of them. With a little sigh of surrender, Rei decided she hadn't had enough sleep to push any further, and settled for curling up beside him, covers pulled all the way up to her chin. She had nearly fallen back asleep when Theron shifted again, turning so he was facing her. "What was that about earlier?"

"Zaara," she answered simply; he would know what she meant, and Rei wasn't in any mood to discuss it further.

"Everything okay?"

Rei answered by propping herself up and leaning down for a quick kiss, nothing more than a soft brush of her lips against his. "Perfectly fine," she said sweetly. "As much as it ever _will_ be fine, at least." Not the _whole_ truth, but close enough, for the moment; she'd been hoping to avoid the subject entirely, but Rei had a sneaking suspicion she wouldn't be getting any more sleep either way, not with the way that worry was beginning to etch itself into Theron's expression.

"And with you?" he pressed, brow furrowing.

"Cold."

"I _noticed_."

Unable to hold back a laugh at the dryness in his voice, Rei let herself settle back into bed despite knowing that it wouldn't be long before some order of business required their attention. "It's _your_ fault," she quipped, tugging on the shirt she still wore. "I was starting to warm back up, but you aren't going to let me enjoy it, are you? You're going to ruin it with work and responsibility," she accused.

Theron cracked a tired smile. "One of us has to," he pointed out, his voice still rough with sleep. Propping himself up to glance at the chrono, he reached over for one of Rei's hands and laced their fingers together. "Although," he added, tone serious but expression almost playful, "I might be persuaded to stay."

"Good. It's too early for reports. Or Lana."

"Glad you agree." He leaned over to kiss her, effectively cutting off her laughter that was beginning to bubble up, and shifted so he was settled comfortably against her; the proximity was warm, and familiar, and Rei realized — not for the first time — that her situation on Odessen would be far worse without Theron. She was under no illusions that she wouldn't have been able to cope without him, but the prospect was a difficult one to consider with her hands curled in his hair as his tongue swept slow across her lower lip.

So she _wouldn_ _'_ _t_ consider it.

It was odd, in an increasingly delightful sort of way, to discover that these early morning activities had become familiar, even welcome — bordering on _routine_ , given the frequency with which they found their sleep interrupted by Alliance business. She wouldn't have imagined, when they'd met on Manaan all those years ago, that Theron would have ever become more than an annoyance; attractive, and ultimately irrelevant, but an _annoyance_ who stood in the way of her plans to investigate the Revanites.

( _Lana Beniko, the Dark Council is aware of your role in the death of Darth Arkous_.

It had been less of an accusation and more a roundabout way of greeting the haphazard group on Manaan, when Rei had marched into the conference room with the intention of lecturing Zaara for keeping her in the dark; she'd been on Korriban when the Republic had attacked, had banded together with apprentices and overseers and taken refuge in her office until more Imperial forces had finally arrived, and yet Zaara and Lana hadn't seen fit to involve her in the ensuing investigations.

She'd first met Theron, then, in the conference room as he and Lana and Jakarro prepared to flee — to the Outer Rim, she knew now, and weeks spent traveling and hiding and narrowly escaping a Revanite agent in a sketchy cantina on Tatooine — and he had kept his eyes on her and a hand on his blaster.

He still kept his eyes on her and a hand on his blaster, but for different reasons, now; he watched her with a softness and an intrigue, and stood at her side ready to defend her when they were out in the field. Somewhere along they way they'd begun to trust each other, but it had begun with distaste and unease.)

Rei had stilled, her hands cradling Theron's face as her eyes roamed, meeting his own hazel eyes before moving to take in his sleep-tousled hair and the almost imperceptible flush to his cheeks before flicking down to the slight part of his lips. "Did you know I still think about it sometimes?" He gave a low, questioning _hmm?_ in response, dipping down to place kisses along the line of her collarbone, one hand slipping beneath her shirt — _his_ shirt that she wore — to rest at her waist. "Manaan," she clarified, letting her arms drape around his neck and wondering why, exactly, the topic seemed so important when she had something much more delightful to focus on.

For whatever reason, the subject seemed to be amusing to Theron, and as his light laughter subsided he confessed, "I was so _certain_ you'd come to, you know, take care of Lana, and I couldn't really wrap my mind around being _concerned_ for a Sith." His expression softened and he let his forehead rest gently against Rei's. "Took me a while to wrap my mind around this, too."

It wasn't an admission of anything, not really, and they'd long since stumbled their way through an awkward _I care about you_ discussion; still, it almost _felt_ like an admission of something, with the quiet sincerity of the words. Rei didn't have a response, nothing that wouldn't cheapen the moment somehow, but she searched for something to say regardless. " _A while_ as in five years, or…?" Even as she spoke she winced internally, biting at her lip to hold back an immediate apology for bringing up her time in carbonite.

But to her surprise, the subject did nothing to dissuade Theron. "No, before that. But the part where this turned into something without a constantly looming _goodbye_? Still working on it." He leaned down for another kiss and Rei responded with a new enthusiasm; there had been _hope_ in his voice, a sort of cautious confidence that they wouldn't have to say goodbye, not like they had on Yavin IV and Ziost and when they'd met after, and it sent a thrill of excitement and anticipation and _happiness_ through her.

She hadn't thought that far ahead, but the fact that he had left her breathless.

Urged on by something that felt a bit like desperation, Rei pulled Theron closer, nails trailing lightly across his skin as one of her hands moved along his back. The low sound of contentment he made against her mouth was enough to draw a satisfied laugh from Rei — more of a giggle, really, if she were in the mood to be honest — and she let static gather at her fingertips, not enough to spark but just enough to raise the hairs at the back of his neck; she was rewarded with another quiet moan, but then he pulled away just enough to let his lips trail along her jawline. "Not fair," he argued, voice quiet against her skin.

" _Sith_ ," she shot back. "I don't have to play fair."

An unintentional gasp slipped from her as Theron pressed a kiss to the edge of her jaw, just below her ear — and yet he had the audacity to claim _she_ was the one being unfair — and he laughed, warm and breathy in her ear. "I don't mind," he pointed out, looking up just enough to study her for a moment, "but—"

Rei had no interest in listening, instead pulling him down to capture his mouth in another kiss; she felt entirely insatiable, as if she could lay there with him until Vaylin tore the galaxy apart and it wouldn't be enough, like he could explore every inch of her skin and she would still hunger for his touch. It had been too long, she thought, and — despite her general disinterest in sex — she had occasionally indulged herself, and it had now been… six years? Seven? More? _Too long_ , and she was restless and there was something about the morning that was leaving her flushed and heated.

Their slow, languid pace wasn't quite enough — not for Rei, not with desire beginning to spread through her — but a stray thought was beginning to work its way into her mind, leaving doubt where there hadn't been any before.

Maybe they should just stop. Maybe it would change things between them too much. Maybe Theron wouldn't understand if she tried to explain things — maybe it didn't matter, and he didn't even want her, not really, and this would just ruin something that Rei had always feared wouldn't work, anyway.

(She'd had similar doubts, with Andronikos. It had been a different situation, of course; they'd been friends, then lovers, but the relationship hadn't been quite what either of them had needed and eventually they'd simply become friends who slept together.

 _If we stop having sex_ , she'd asked, and maybe there had been a tremor in her voice, _what does that make us?_ Because ' _friend_ _'_ hadn't ever seemed to be enough to describe the way they would tear the galaxy apart for each other, and she loved him but not the way she'd always understood the word _love_. She couldn't remember what his answer had been — it was something that had made her laugh — but she still took solace in the fact that nothing had changed between them after all, not in the ways that mattered.

She had a different definition of _love_ , now, and what she felt for Theron didn't quite fit but it was close, but maybe she just needed a new definition after all these years.)

Rei had done her best to push away the thoughts and doubts attempting to ruin her morning, but what brought her attention completely back to the present was the sudden flash of worry from Theron as he began to pull away. "You okay?" he asked, his thumb gliding across her cheek — he always avoided the brands that marked her skin, and she always pretended not to notice — before he added, "You seem… off, this morning."

"Only because you've stopped," she stated matter-of-factly, the concern in his voice driving away most of her own doubts.

"Rei—" The word came out terse, as hesitant as it was apprehensive; he paused, and when Theron spoke again his voice was almost even. "Where is this going?"

"Big picture?" she asked, a spark of panic cutting through the pleasant haze of desire. "Or small picture?" She sincerely hoped it was the latter, since her plans for the former involved re-accumulating the reputation and power she'd lost and, well, Rei didn't know exactly where a former SIS agent fit in her political agenda to climb back to the top of the Sith hierarchy.

"Small," he said quickly, the same spark of panic in his voice that Rei had just quieted within herself. "Very small. As in this morning." Placing a light kiss to the corner of Rei's mouth, Theron rolled so he was on his side, his eyes never leaving hers. "I don't… I don't want to misread the situation."

Frowning, Rei took a moment to catch her breath and gather her thoughts. Until Theron's comment, she hadn't had any intention of stopping; now, however, she found herself wondering if that wasn't what Theron wanted. She'd been clear, before, that sex hadn't been on the table for them — for _her_ , at least — because when they had shared little but flirtations on Rishi and Yavin IV, it had seemed an easier explanation that to try and sort through her general indifference and intermittent impulses.

Besides, back then, it had always been meant to _end_ , but now…

She just wanted to get back to kissing him.

Mirroring Theron's position, Rei turned so she was laying on her side and pursed her lips as she tried to decide on what to say. "Where do you _want_ it to go?" she asked slowly, not wanting to try and decipher her own wants or thoughts. Most days, she wouldn't be disappointed either way, but today she suspected she would be more than a bit frustrated if things didn't continue — though it was nothing she couldn't take care of herself, if need be.

Theron studied her for a moment, brow furrowing a bit before he shook his head. "I'm not leaving it up to me. You've said—" He stopped, frowned, started again. "I know we haven't talked about it, much, but if you aren't… I don't want to make you uncomfortable." He let out a sharp breath, slowly reaching for one of Rei's hands.

"Theron," she chided softly, ignoring the sobering pang of guilt as she realized they _hadn_ _'_ _t_ ever really talked about it except in passing. "I asked because I don't really… have a preference," Rei forced out, faltering a bit as she struggled to find words to describe how she felt. She'd only had this conversation once before, long ago with Andronikos when she was still coming to terms with it all. "I wasn't lying, when I said I don't feel the need to sleep around, but…" She grimaced, hearing the stilted uncertainty in her own voice. "I would like to, for now. Typically I have little interest, but I do find myself… indulgent. Every now and again. If you're agreeable."

If Rei had cringed any harder at her own words, she would've disappeared right into the bedsheets.

He looked down, his frown deepening as his thumb began to glide absentmindedly across Rei's hand. "So…" he began uncertainly, "this is a one time… indulgence?" Theron clarified, borrowing Rei's own word.

"Not at all." With her free hand she reached up to cup his cheek, feeling a smile begin to form as he leaned into her touch. "Nothing about you is a one time thing," she assured him, the words coming easier to her now. "I take these things day by day, just like everything else about us. Today, _this_ is what I want. I want you, and I want to spend the rest of the morning with you, and if I change my mind tomorrow, or the next day, I _will_ tell you." After a moment, she reconsidered and added, "I rather like having you in my bed — we've established this, haven't we? It's… it's the _how_ that's subject to change."

Her response seemed to placate Theron, and for the first time since he'd breached the subject, the crease in his brow lifted and his lips quirked up into a wry grin. "In that case… I think I can work with that."

"I expect you can." Rei leaned forward with the intention of stealing a light kiss — an experiment, of sorts, a way to test their boundaries in the wake of her awkward explanations — and made a quiet sound of surprise as Theron leaned into it, rolling her so she was on her back again. Her hands clasped around his neck almost instinctively, pulling him close with a renewed hunger and eagerness.

The kiss ended as abruptly as it had begun, and Theron pulled back just enough to ask, "You're sure?"

"If I weren't," she pointed out, breathless, as she drew one leg up so that her thigh pressed against his hip, "you would not still be on top of me." She traced the edge of his jawline with her index finger, ending at the curve of his lips. "I could throw you across this room before you could even _think_ about doing anything I don't want," she reminded him sweetly.

"Cute."

"I try."


	2. Battle

_**A/N:** in which the alliance makes some decisions, everybody Fucked Up on voss, and rei has a flashback. set pre-kotet._

 _me: wow "battle" is a great prompt to ease into voss and the actual kotet storyline_

 _also me: time for some Family Drama_

* * *

 _2.22ATC_

 _Present Day_

 _We should talk_ , Lana had said at breakfast that morning, and an hour and a half later the war room was filled with the uppermost members of the Alliance hierarchy.

The Commander, both spymasters — and Zaara, though Rei wasn't sure what the former agent considered her role in the Alliance to be — the heads of security Cera and Mako, Assault Specialist Sohms, and their resident jedi Master Cori — they were all standing around the central holoterminal, watching as the images of a few recognizable figures appeared.

Darth Acina. The Empire's Wrath. Vrynn — _Darth Occlus_ , Rei corrected herself; her former apprentice had a title and station now, and the change was taking some getting used to.

"What are we looking at?" Theron asked, and Lana gladly took the question as a prompt to begin.

"Allies," she revealed. "Or potential allies, at least. There have been rumors that Empress Acina wishes to pursue an alliance with us, though she hasn't opened up any official negotiations at this point. The Wrath has already expressed some interest in an unofficial capacity — with Acina's approval, I believe — and Darth Occlus is currently providing our Commander with information and resources, though her assistance could be even more useful when applied to the entire Alliance."

"No," Rei said sharply, clasping her hands behind her back. Vrynn was more than capable of taking care of herself, especially with Andronikos now at her side, but that didn't mean Rei was going to force her into politics she had no desire to involve herself with. "Vry— _Occlus_ is a friend, not an informant. If you want her help, you'll get it through an official means, not because I've asked her."

Zaara shrugged, annoyance flashing in her eyes. "Alright. Done. It's a waste of time, but we could use her. She's got Acina's ear, and that makes her the most valuable person up there right now." She crossed her arms, shooting a narrow glare at Rei from across the holotable. "Don't forget, _Commander_ , that without allies and contacts this Alliance will fall apart. A Sith who's still in the Imperial government could be useful."

Lana pursed her lips, giving the agent a sidelong glance before speaking. "Useful, certainly, but not the extent of what we need at the moment. Zaara is correct in assuming that the Alliance cannot stand on its own as of yet — we need to pursue some manner of treaty with the Republic, Empire, and most importantly, Zakuul. We've made no small amount of progress in the past four and a half months, but Vaylin has now fully transitioned into power, and with SCORPIO at her side it's only a matter of time before she once again turns her attention to Odessen. And," she added, the barest hint of a sigh slipping out, "without Senya's insight, it's more important than ever that we form ties with Zakuul. Koth was no more than a soldier — his guidance will only take us so far. The Zakuulan rebels are our best choice, at this point."

The mention of the rebels — and _cooperating_ with them — was enough to make Rei bristle; she wanted to conquer Zakuul, not lower herself to their level. Perhaps her careless destruction of their city hadn't been clear enough for Lana.

"We're working on the rebels," Theron interjected, nodding towards Sohms. "Jorgan and Havoc have made a good impression on the exiles, and with their help Mako and I have been able to get into contact with some Zakuulans still in the city."

"It's slow going, and it's been a few years since I've sliced into such high security databases," Mako admitted, her modest tone tempering the statement. "But we _have_ found a few who don't raise any flags, so we should have a good network formed in a few weeks."

"And what about Republic support?" Theron prompted, crossing his arms. "We know the Jedi are more scattered than the Sith are right now, but that's only one part of the Republic. Didn't we come up with a few more leads last time? Were those ever followed up on?"

"A few Jedi and a handful of senators who were sympathetic to our cause, yes. No one is willing to publicly stand against Zakuul without support from the entire senate, but the Supreme Chancellor won't do anything without Saresh's approval," Lana pointed out, "and the former Havoc Squad is the extent of the military support we can expect. I don't believe we'll find anything substantial, unless you have any other contacts…?"

He shook his head. "I've called in every favor I can, and then some."

"Let me see what I can do," Sohms suggested, pushing off from where she'd been leaning against the terminal. "Between me and Aric, we're bound to have at least _some_ friends left in the military. Maybe."

Lana pressed her lips together in a thin frown, sharing a silent glance with Cori before speaking again. "We may also have one more option for you to pursue, Theron."

"Which is?"

It was Cori who spoke this time, taking a step forward and clasping her hands in front of her. "The former Barsen'thor. I've reached out to her a few times, already. Her political connections alone would be incredibly useful, not to mention her ties with the Order." The mention of T'sereen was enough to capture Rei's waning attention; she frowned, but tried to hide at least _some_ of her distaste.

Theron was shaking his head before Cori even finished. "I wouldn't drag her into all of this even if I thought I _could_. The fact that we've been working with Tai Cordan has definitely improved her opinion of us, but not enough that she'd be willing to risk her political reputation to help."

"We'll work on it," Rei said flatly, placing her palms on the holotable and leaning forwards, staring up at the three Sith still on display. "We don't need actual treaties or alliances," she mused, "except with the Zakuulan rebels. All we need to negotiate with the Republic and Empire is a sort of… non-aggression pact. We're in a good position for those kinds of discussions, wouldn't you say?" Rei understood Lana's insistence that they work something out with both factions, but she simply didn't agree; the Alliance hadn't ever been intended to be permanent, and once Rei — and the rest of them, she supposed — had torn Zakuul to the ground, they would once again go their separate ways.

Granted, it was difficult to imagine the Alliance _ending_ , after spending nearly a year on Odessen, but what was the alternative?

"Agreed. Cori and I can reach out to Madon and Acina, and I'll meet with any rebel contacts we have," Zaara decided, her voice holding a tone of finality. "Strike teams and specialists have gotten us this far, but Vaylin _will_ come after us, and when she does we'll need friends — and lots of them."

"Which leads us to the last thing," Lana said with a nod. "Voss. Sana-Rae believes it could be beneficial to reach out to some of the mystics at the Shrine of Healing. However, there are some… complications."

Rei shrank back, folding her arms and pressing her lips into a thin line. _Maybe they wouldn_ _'_ _t ask_.

She wasn't so lucky; from beside her, Theron nudged her with his shoulder and leaned over just enough to ask, "What did you do?"

"There, uh, was this vision," she explained in a whisper, "and they were pissed off because I was going to fulfill it, so I decided _not_ to fulfill it and… Apparently that's worse. And, I killed some people. Which is also bad."

"Yes, Commander," Lana spoke up, interrupting whatever response Theron was preparing, "the Voss remember you. And Zaara, evidently, no longer has clearance to operate on Voss, though I believe we can work around it."

The agent hesitated. "I'd… rather not. Returning might cause a diplomatic incident with their leaders."

Cori gave her sister an odd, disbelieving look. "What did you _do_?"

"My work was impeccable and I left no evidence of my mission with the Empire," Zaara defended with a frown. "But I met with the Three and it didn't go well. My visit to the Shrine of Healing didn't go well, either, although it _is_ possible they don't know the part I played in that… mess."

At that, Sohms' lips curled up into something between a grin and a grimace. "That makes three of us, I guess — I spent six weeks there with this pain in the ass senator trying to play nice with people who kept telling me how to do my job." She shrugged. "Worst I _did_ was tell some healers or mystics or whatever they are to fuck off. Still, I don't think Aric would forgive me for dragging him back there."

"Yeah, yeah, you all fucked up," Cera interrupted. "That's why Theron and I are the ones going with Sana-Rae. We'll go and hear them out, and _maybe_ between the three of us we can make it back to Odessen without too much political fallout."

Rei managed to stifle her frustrations at not being told the plan until just now; a quick glance at Theron suggested that he was just as surprised as she was, anyway. "If that's the case, and Zaara and I are useless on Voss for now, then I have an idea," she revealed slowly, not certain this was a conversation she wanted to have just yet. "I've been talking with Talos about a… ritual, of sorts, on Belsavis. I believe looking into it could be beneficial for our…" She made a vague hand-waving motion towards the togruta. "Problem."

Zaara narrowed her eyes, but didn't argue. "We'll discuss it."

There was a palpable interest from the rest of the group — Rei hadn't mentioned the rakatan machine or the ritual she'd once undergone to anyone besides Talos yet — but she ignored it and turned to Lana with a polite, satisfied nod. There was little else to discuss, for the moment, and as the meeting came to an end and the rest of the group dispersed, Rei pulled up the files that Lana had gathered on Vrynn.

She'd once been known as Vrynn Malius, former apprentice to Darth Nox, thin mirialan who never technically passed her trials at the Academy due to an unfortunate attack by the Republic — the same one that had been, in part, orchestrated by Theron, which was much more amusing now than it had been when it had occurred over six years ago. In Vrynn's file _now_ , however, Rei could scroll through pages of information and titles and accomplishments; she felt as much pride in Vrynn as she did suspicion, given that her relatively quick rise to power came from the scraps of an alliance that Rei had once shared with Acina. Her once timid apprentice was now Darth Occlus, married to Andronikos Revel, and head of the Sphere of Ancient Knowledge — or what was _left_ of the Sphere after Acina's reorganization of the government.

She was still glaring down at the datapad when Theron found her again, sliding an arm around her waist as he joined her where she still stood at the holotable. "What did that datapad ever do to you?"

"It's… odd, seeing it in writing," Rei mused, eyes not leaving the file she had open. "Everything — my entire life from before all of this — is on here. My position in the Sith, Andronikos, my credits and artifacts and properties, even my political connections. And it's all with Vrynn, now."

"You still have your ship," he pointed out.

"That's a good point. And," she paused to tilt her head up for a kiss, "I owe _that_ to you. Not that it matters," she admitted, voice faltering a bit. "If Belsavis doesn't work out, there's too many options to pursue for me to be worried about all of _this_."

"So, what's _on_ Belsavis?" Theron asked, the question deceptively casual. "Besides criminals and Sith and your creepy brother?"

"Creepy _half_ brother," she corrected automatically. "And I'd rather not discuss it, just yet. Like I said, it's a ritual that could help Zaara. It's something I went through, before, when the… you know—" Rei paused, frowning, and made a vague gesture to her head. "I was dying. It was bad. I don't remember exactly _what_ it did, just that it worked, but Talos seems to think it's worth a try at the very least."

He sighed, silent for a moment as he stared off into the rest of the base. "So, you're going with Zaara and Talos to a prison planet to attempt a secret ritual that _might_ help?"

"And you're going to strike up an alliance with a neutral planet whose government hates the majority of our leaders so, really, is my plan _so_ bad?"

* * *

 _8.21ATC_

 _Four Months Prior_

Rei had fallen asleep still clutching her datapad, halfway through a note that detailed her late night brainstorming session with Talos. It had become a relatively common occurrence, ever since her brief visit to meet Vrynn on Dromund Kaas and recover some of her things from her time on the Council. The note itself had spiraled into nearly a page of rambling about the Force and spirits and some artifact from Hoth, but the general message was clear — she'd had a long night, and under _no circumstances_ was anyone to disturb her until she woke.

Theron found the datapad, and the note, when he'd woken, and had sent a quick message to Cera — the last thing they needed was for some newly arrived recruit to go looking for the Commander — and found himself frowning down at her reply.

 _[Oops.]_

With a sigh, he left the datapad on the bedside table and grabbed his jacket, pulling it on as the door slid open. He keyed in the code to lock the door to Rei's quarters, and when he turned back to the hallway he found himself face to face with another rattataki. The man loomed over him, standing nearly a full head taller and dressed in a loose black robe over what looked to be worn merc armor.

"Can I… help you?"

"Looking for the Commander," he replied, voice gruff and words clipped with just a hint of a low Imperial accent. He crossed his arms, and Theron's gaze flicked down to the lightsaber that hung at the rattataki's hip. "There was a chiss girl, said she runs security. She pointed me in this direction. _So_ ," he drawled, tone sharpening with distaste, "where can I find the Commander?"

Theron frowned; even on a normal morning, that was something of an awkward question, especially since he was still standing right outside of the Commander's quarters. It wasn't like it was a _secret_ , and they hadn't ever tried to hide the fact that he'd long since shared quarters with Rei, but it wasn't as if they flaunted it, either. "That depends on who's asking."

"Kzuroc." He held out a gloved hand to shake. "Kzuroc Kahzri. Joined up with your group back on Belsavis. I'd just been looking for a way off-planet, till I spoke to that Assault Specialist of yours — the one who took down that star fortress."

 _Belsavis_. Right. The group of criminals they'd recruited to help push back the Zakuulan forces. They weren't supposed to actually _be_ on Odessen. "Look," Theron sighed, already running the name _Kzuroc Kahzri_ through the Alliance's database, "let's go talk to Cera and get this all straightened out, then maybe I'll see if the Commander's available." He led the way back through the base to the security center, doing his best not to let the entirety of his exasperation show; ever since Arcann's defeat, the Alliance had been nearly overwhelmed by the multitude of new arrivals and it was getting more and more difficult to keep track of who all was on Odessen. The overlay from Theron's implant wasn't showing any results for the name, but that didn't really mean much; it would take a far more thorough check to get any information on a former Belsavis prisoner.

Cera was nowhere to be found at the security center, but Mako stood at one of the terminals, hands planted on her hips as she stared down at the information that flitted across the screen. Theron announced their presence by clearing his throat loudly. "Does your wife _try_ to make my job more difficult, or does it just come naturally?"

Mako turned to offer a thin smile before she cleared the screen. "It definitely comes naturally, but I think she puts in extra effort just for you. And don't worry," she assured him, nodding towards the rattataki who stood behind him, "she had me run a full background check on our new friend. She figures nothing short of Vaylin could be too much of an inconvenience for you and Rei and, really, can you blame her?"

"Maybe you could at least remind her that I prefer unexpected visitors _after_ I've had a cup of caf."

"Don't mean to interrupt," Kzuroc interjected, "but I'm just here to talk to the Commander. Doesn't even have to be in person."

Theron glanced over towards Mako, who shrugged. "Nothing came up. Just records from Belsavis, but not even a date of imprisonment."

"Because I _wasn_ _'_ _t_ imprisoned," the rattataki said, beginning to scowl a bit. "My _mother_ was. I was born there. That's why I'm here — all I had was her, and some human I didn't even know as a father, and a name for a sister, and that's my whole life. About… I don't know, six or seven years ago," he shrugged, crossing his arms, "I find out my sister's got a reputation, too. Some big name Sith. So I join up — you know, as one of them criminals the Sith hired to fight for 'em — and they give me a lightsaber and a master and tell me who to kill. Good life, till Zakuul shows up. So I join up with _your_ people, then I start hearing about my sister's name again. I asked your specialist about it, she told me to come here. I ask your chiss about it, then _you_ —" he motioned to Theron, still scowling, then turned to Mako, "—and now I guess I'm asking you."

Trying to process the information, Theron gave his head a slow shake and turned back to Kzuroc. "Hang on. You're—" He paused, letting out a short sigh before he could force the words out. "You're saying that _Rei_ is your sister?"

"Dunno. Reiyaxa, big time Sith — that's all I've got to go on."

"And, what?" Mako asked, fingers beginning to drum along her belt. "You're here for a warm fuzzy family reunion?"

" _No_ ," he scoffed, sounded more than a little offended. "I'm gonna track down and kill our mother, and from what I hear she'd be willing to help."

Theron shared a sidelong glance with Mako; he probably wasn't _wrong_ , and Rei would be up for helping with something she'd no doubt see as an easy job. It was… not a comfortable train of thought, and left him more than a bit unsettled. "I, uhh…"

"Iza left me for dead back on Belsavis," Kzuroc reasoned in a tone that was eerily calm, "and she left Reiyaxa to be taken by slavers back… whenever that was. Plus," he added with a shrug, "I'd think you'd _want_ the galaxy to be rid of a woman who's an escaped convict, former Rattataki warlord, and experienced bounty hunter."

Eyes locked on Kzuroc, Mako suggested quietly, "Either way, we should probably inform the Commander."

"Probably."

* * *

All things considered, Rei took the news better than Theron thought she would. There'd been no small amount of cursing, and she'd buried her face in her pillow for a solid minute and a half while she composed herself enough to keep from crying.

As she finally pulled herself up to sit beside Theron — there were tear stains on the pillow that neither of them mentioned — she closed her eyes, shaking her head as her brow furrowed. Slowly, Theron reached over and took one of her hands, holding back a wince as she latched onto him with a vice-like grip; he'd seen her like this before, when she was particularly overwhelmed or exhausted and the Sith spirits within her mind managed to slip through the mental walls she'd built to hold them back.

"You okay?"

"Kallig." Her answer was quiet, barely more than a whisper, and when she spoke again her voice shook. "He's upset. Another one to waste his legacy, he says. I—" She stopped, sucking in a sharp breath. "I don't need the reminder right now, _Kallig_ ," she spat.

"Rei." Theron gave her hand a squeeze, hoping to ground her a bit but not sure what else to say; he could sympathize, somewhat, with the sudden discovery of family, but this was — somehow — more bizarre than his own situation had been. "You don't have to do anything, if you don't want. We can just send him away. No one would think twice about a criminal from Belsavis being labeled a security threat."

She frowned, and for a moment he wondered if she was going to begin crying again. But after a moment, Rei slowly shook her head. "No. I want to talk to him, at least. Then I want to track down… her. My…" She trailed off, hesitating. "The woman he claims is my mother. I want to talk to her. If it's all true, then… then I don't know. But I'd like you to come with me, if that's alright."

"Sure." He agreed quickly, too quickly to fully process the request, and his gaze fell to the floor as he held back a frown; Theron was on shaky terms with his parents at the _best_ of times, and they'd both put in more effort than this _Iza_ had. Maybe he wasn't the best one to accompany anyone to a family reunion, but if Rei wanted him to come along, he'd be there.

"Andronikos, too," Rei added in a quiet voice, thankfully seemingly unaware of Theron's unintentional drop in mood. "I know he said he spends most of his time on Dromund Kaas with Vrynn, now, but I've been wanting to go back to the city and besides, I… I don't think I could do this without him." She let her head rest on Theron's shoulder, curling up beside him with a sigh. "I don't need a family. I certainly never wanted Kallig. But now that I might _have_ one, I don't know _what_ I want."

He brought up their joined hands, placing a light kiss to her knuckles. "We'll figure this out," he promised.

"I hope so."


	3. Cold

_**A/N:** in which val is still a dick, zaara still misses home, and rei still misses her near-tyrannical power levels_

 _as a note, the agent ot3 with zaara, vector, and raina wasn't rly canon back when i wrote ostensibly. i made it canon for zaara about halfway through posting that fic, and wasn't going to go back and shove it in at that point._

 _also, we're_ finally _making it to voss next chapter. it's halfway written. this fic is finally going where's it's supposed to be._

* * *

 _8.21ATC_  
 _Four Months Prior_

The barren, icy landscape of Hoth was projected clearly over the main holoterminal in the war room, the location of a well hidden Chiss outpost marked clearly on the image. Beside it stood the shimmering image of a chiss, dressed in an elegant white suit.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help."

Zaara shook her head, eyes focused on the map of Hoth. "It's fine. It was a long shot, anyway." Trying to hide the brunt of her disappointment, she pinched at the bridge of her nose and bit back a groan. "I appreciate that you even tried, Saganu."

"Of course." Saganu gave a shallow bow, offering a warm smile as he straightened. "I'll contact you with any updates."

"Thank you." As his image flickered out, Zaara braced herself against the holoterminal and squeezed her eyes closed, both nauseas and nostalgic at seeing Saganu again — even if only over holo. He'd called her _Cipher Fourteen_ when he'd realized who he was speaking to; it was an old title, and not even really a title at all but a _lie_ , like everything else from that year she'd spent at the mercy of the SIS.

Well, not _everything_. She'd learned to trust Vector during that year, and she'd met Raina, and the two of them had become an undeniable truth, a light in the darkness, an anchor while her entire world was being turned upside down, and every other imaginable cliche. She loved them both, and they were lost to her and it _hurt_ , in a way that made it hard to believe and harder to breathe.

( _Was it love, or was it the fleeting passions of a woman trying to find stability and safety in a life filled with disappointment and sacrifice?_ Valkorion asked, his voice nothing but a whisper at the back of her mind as he dredged up a memory she thought she'd locked away.

Legs tangled, body pressed up against Raina's back as the scent of her shampoo filled Zaara's nose. Vector laid still on the other side of Raina, a lock of sleep-tousled hair falling over closed eyes that fluttered with what Zaara was certain was one of his vibrant dreams. There was nothing, no sound save for the faint hum of the ship's engines and no light save for the thin line that marked the lower edge of the door to her quarters. _Their_ quarters — and for the first time the thought brought her nothing but peace, because it was the first morning that they'd woken up _free_ , nothing but ghosts in the Empire with no ties and no obligations. It won't last, and they'd be negotiating a proper return to Intelligence — what was left of it, at least — by mid-afternoon, but for now there's nothing but the three of them and an entire uninterrupted morning.

They'd shared breakfast in bed, once they'd woken. Raina had worn nothing but the top of one of Vector's intricate robes, Zaara had taken charge of every run for more caf or tea, and Vector had tried — not for the first time — to explain to them the differences in their auras.

It had been a good morning, and the memory left Zaara's chest aching and hands shaking. She tried to calm herself but it was so damn _hard_ with the way Valkorion slithered through her mind like an insect, crawling amongst her thoughts and her memories.

He laughed, and the sound made her cringe.)

Zaara had no idea how long she stood there at the holoterminal, lost in her own mind with Valkorion. She was jarred back to her senses by Lana, clearing her throat as she joined her at the terminal. "I'm out of leads."

"I'm sorry." There was a definite softness to Lana's voice, something more than understanding but not quiet pity. "For what it's worth, I believe our talks with the Empire will open up new avenues for us to search. We'll find them."

She took a step backwards, shifting her weight and attempting to regain her composure. "We have to. I—" Her voice didn't break, not quite, but Zaara paused all the same. "I have nothing to fight for anymore. My purpose was to serve the Empire. Outside of that, I had _them_ , and…" And nothing. She'd been trained — shaped, broken down and reformed — to fight for Intelligence and the Empire and without that, without somewhere to direct her ingrained loyalties…

What was her purpose? What was the _point_ of a spy-turned-vessel-for-the-Emperor?

"We'll find them." This time, Lana's reassurance was accompanied by a firm hand on the shoulder, and Zaara almost believed her. "However," she added, tone sharpening in a way that suggested they had business to discuss, "we have a… slight situation, and you're the only other one still awake."

 _Good._ Work was good. Work meant the possibility of continuing to get too little sleep and drink too much caf and wear down the body she'd once taken so much pride in. "Explain."

"A visitor in the hangar bay. She's… well, you'll see."

"Thank you, Spymaster, for such a thorough briefing." Zaara forced a smile, placing a soft hand on Lana's arm before turning and heading for the hangar bay. _Work is good_ , she repeated to herself, the words echoing in her pounding head like a mantra. _Work is good. Work is a distraction. Work is better than_ —

( _You_ _'_ _d rather entertain this stagnating rebellion than make any real progress?_ The words were quiet, a whisper that grated against her thoughts as Valkorion grinned like a feral nexu. _You know as well as I do that this isn_ _'_ _t_ work _, this is a pathetic waste of your talents. In the time it takes for this Alliance of yours to call a meeting, you could infiltrate the Spire and assassinate both of my children — it_ _'_ _s your specialty, isn't it? But instead you sit here and waste your time, all so you can avoid facing the failure that you've become._

He was right, and she could _feel_ his twisted satisfaction.)

Zaara bit back a curse and focused on walking — one foot in front of the other, quiet and rhythmic steps — until she reached the hangar bay. At such a late hour it was mostly empty, save for Hylo and a rattataki she didn't recognize. "Care to introduce me to your friend?" she called out, directing the question towards Hylo even as her eyes began to search the stranger, making note of armor and weapons and any potential surprises or weaknesses.

"Actually, she's looking for the Commander," the mirialan said with a little shrug. "You know me, Agent — always ready to make a new business contact."

"Then introduce me to your new _contact_."

The rattataki — a gaunt woman who barely reached Hylo's chin in height, tattoos and markings and a half dozen eyebrow and nose piercings adorning her face — pressed her lips into a thin smile, placing her hands on her hips. She was, as far as Zaara could tell, unarmed except for a single vibroblade at her hip and wore loose, unkempt spacer's clothing that didn't look like it would offer much protection in a fight. "I'll introduce myself, thanks." She spoke with a low rasp to her voice, the words sharp and disjointed though Zaara couldn't quite place the accent.

She nodded. "Please do."

"I hear the Commander's not at home, and I'd like to be out of Wild Space before she gets back. It seems my boy's been 'round here," she said with a frown, "and I'd like you to keep him busy."

"If there was an introduction in there, I missed it," Zaara pointed out, crossing her arms. She had a good idea, now, of who the woman was, but she hadn't ever been in the habit of jumping to conclusions. "And as a general rule, we don't recruit people based on the pleas of their mothers."

The frown twisted into a grin, and as she gave her head a slow shake Zaara saw that one of her ears was torn and scarred; this was the sort of woman who would make a good contact, she assumed, but not the sort who she wanted on Odessen. "Iza." She drew the name out, long and slow and thoughtful. "Call me Iza. Trust me — I'm not asking as Kzuroc's mother. I'm asking as Reiyaxa's mother."

"Iza Kahzri, former warlord on Rattatak and escaped prisoner from Belsavis," Zaara recited, distinctly aware that Hylo was still standing beside her; the information hadn't come as any surprise, but rather had solidified her opinion that she needed to get the woman off Odessen as quickly as possible.

Rei had accepted the existence of her half-brother easily enough, taking every chance to dismiss him and making a point to ensure they all knew how unimportant he was to her. She made no secret of the fact that she had no desire to meet her mother or any other family she may have — Theron had admitted to Zaara late one night, after they'd both had a bit too much to drink and were sharing their concerns over Rei's reckless and heated behavior, that she'd originally entertained the idea but had decided that she didn't _want_ a mother or anyone that might lay claim to her.

They'd both tried explaining to her that families didn't quite work that way, but _really_ , what did either of them know about how families worked?

"I suggest you leave."

Iza hadn't reacted to Zaara's initial comment, but now her eyes narrowed. "I plan to. But first I want assurance that you'll keep both of my children busy. In return," she offered, "I'll call in some favors. For fifteen years, I called the shots in an entire block of the rattataki sector on Belsavis — I've got names and contact information for lots of people, some still planetside and others all over the galaxy. Also, I don't have to kill my daughter. I hear the two of you are close."

The statement about Rei was an odd and unsettling sort of parallel to the words Zaara had been hearing for months from Valkorion about Vaylin; there was a chill at the back of her mind, some sort of reaction from Valkorion at the comparison. "I'll consider it. And don't worry about killing Rei — you wouldn't be a match for her."

She grinned at that, but it was cold and predatory. "In that case, I should get going. I'll be in contact."

As Iza sauntered back towards her shuttle, Zaara turned to Hylo with a hard glare. "Breathe a word of this to _anyone_ …" She left the threat open-ended, knowing she'd get her point across without having to come up with specifics.

"Hey, if you want to be the one to get in the middle of all this, be my guest. _One_ family full of drama is enough for me." Hylo raised her hands in surrender and took a few lazy steps backwards. "Besides, I was with Gault this whole time," she drawled, winking. "Cheer up, Blue. If you feel like worrying a little less, I've got a bottle of the good stuff in my office."

It was an appealing offer, but Zaara had something more important to attend to, first. As Valkorion had so helpfully pointed out earlier, assassinations were her specialty, and it was so often a quick and simple solution to very messy problems.

"Maybe later," she promised. "I just have one more thing to discuss with Iza, first."

* * *

 _2.22ATC  
_ _Present Day_

"What. Do you mean. _Lost_."

The apprentice, a young human who stood a good half meter taller than Rei, shrunk beneath the glare of a former Councilor. "I'm— Apologies, my lord, but Lord Kaytra's been working on this sector for almost two years now, and we've never been able to break into that cell block."

Rei continued to scowl up at him; years ago, when she'd last been on Belsavis, she might've killed the apprentice for good measure. Now, however, she simply crossed her arms and said, "Then direct me to this Lord Kaytra. I'd also like to know who was in charge of this operation previously, and why the Reclamation Service is no longer monitoring the cell block, as they did while I was at the head of the Sphere."

"Yes, my lord, of course. I'll contact her right away." He nodded and scurried off into the command center of the Imperial camp.

From beside her, Zaara shook her head. "Old habits, and all that, hmm?"

"You're the reason we're here," she pointed out, clasping her hands behind her back and turning to look out over the rest of the camp. "If you want to deal with petulant apprentices who have nothing better to do than try and impress their masters, be my guest. I'd rather expedite this whole ordeal."

"Me, too. That's why I've called in some help."

Rei let her gaze drift to where Zaara had motioned towards, just past Talos, to find Kzuroc making his way across the camp. She rolled her eyes, but he shot her a grin and joined them with a warm welcome. "You don't have to look so put out, Reiyaxa. Been a good day so far, and with any luck that won't change. I'd put credits on our chances."

" _Don_ _'_ _t_ ," she warned flatly, bristling at the use of her full name. She might've been intrigued at first — cautiously so — by the thought of having a half-brother, but it now seemed that everything about Kzuroc was intended to offend or, at the very least, _annoy_ ; he claimed relation to her, like it was something they could bond over, he possessed a bloodlust and cruelty that didn't even have the courtesy of being guided and shaped by the dark side of the Force, and the worst offense, in Rei's eyes, was the way he played at being Sith like it was a passing fancy and not a lifelong dedication.

He was a blaster for hire, and not worthy of Rei's continued attention.

But before she could say anything else, Zaara propped an elbow up on Rei's shoulder. "It's the weather," she teased. "The cold makes her grumpy."

Scowling, Rei pulled away from the togruta and marched over to stand by Talos. "Who did we work with before to access the Mother Machine?" she asked, crossing her arms. "This Lord Kaytra hasn't been here long, so she won't be much help. But maybe we could call in a favor with whichever Sith helped us before."

Talos hesitated. "It, uh, it wasn't a Sith who we worked with. There was a group of criminals, and a particularly delightful nikto, if I recall correctly." His brow knitted together in concern, but he said nothing else.

"Oh." That was precisely the reason why she'd insisted on bringing Talos along; back when she'd first been on Belsavis searching for the rakatan machine they were seeking out now, Rei had been a mess — the Force ghosts she held within her had left her mind torn and frayed, even after the healing rituals on Voss, but the worst effects had been purely physical. Even the _good_ days at that point had ended with her collapsing from stress and exhaustion while Talos worried over her. "Is there…" She paused, fidgeting a bit and toying with the edge of her sleeve. "Is there anything else I should… remember?"

"I don't believe so." He tilted his head a bit as he thought. "Assuming you read over the report I sent you before we left, that is."

"Most of it." She waved a hand dismissively, her attention now focused on the return of the apprentice. Beside him walked a redheaded Sith lord — Kaytra, she assumed — an older woman dressed in loose scarlet robes. "Your apprentice tells me that you've _lost_ control of the prison block that I need to get into?" Rei demanded as they approached.

"I haven't lost control," the Sith snapped, voice sharp. "No one has been able to get _near_ that cell block in years — since well before I ever arrived here. It isn't my fault if the Reclamation Service didn't live up to expectations while you were running it."

Jaw clenching in frustration, Rei planted her hands on her hips and glared up at Kaytra. "The Reclamation Service exceeded expectations while I ran it," she corrected coldly. "You, however, have done little to impress me so far."

Kaytra held her gaze, the tension almost crackling in the air; Rei was acutely aware that she'd lost nearly every claim to power when it came to Sith politics, and in a straight challenge such as this she wouldn't be able to force Kaytra to yield. She was prepared to move on to blatant threats when Talos stepped forward, giving a deferent nod towards both Sith. "My lords, if I may — perhaps I could remain here? My experience with the rakatan ruins could prove useful," he pointed out, before turning to Rei to add, "and it would allow me to give you precise updates on our progress."

"Done," Rei agreed without hesitation. She trusted Talos to find a way back to the Mother Machine, and plus — if he stayed, it meant _she_ wouldn't have to. "And, Kaytra, if any harm comes to him, I'll tear apart you and your entire power base, and leave the scraps for the prisoners here."

* * *

"Well, then, let's go home."

Rei knew Zaara was referring to Odessen — it was where they lived, after all — but there was an edge to her voice that made Rei's mind flash back to Dromund Kaas, and for a moment she could almost feel the rain on her skin and the static in the air. They both missed the city, and the Empire, and Rei never felt as close with Zaara as she did when they lamented the loss of various sights and shops back home. She looked down, one boot kicking at the snow, and said nothing.

After they'd worked out the details of Talos' newest assignment, Zaara had insisted on inspecting the Mother Machine herself. They'd found — just as Lord Kaytra had cautioned — that the cave that held the rakatan ruins was completely unreachable, but Zaara had given up on the challenge more quickly than Rei had expected. The togruta was on edge, here, and Rei knew just enough about her work with Intelligence to stifle any burning questions she had.

With a grimace, Rei turned back to the shuttle they'd brought, pushing past Kzuroc as she began towards it. "I hope you have another way to get back," she sighed, "because I'd hate to have to stop back at the Imperial base again."

"You don't plan on _leaving_ me here?" he asked without missing a beat, footsteps loud as he followed her.

"Why not?" Rei shrugged, not even looking back as she made her way towards the shuttle. Despite Kzuroc's relative enthusiasm when they'd first arrived, it _hadn_ _'_ _t_ been a good day, not at all, and despite her homesickness Rei was looking forward to getting back to Odessen.

That is, she _had_ been looking forward to it, until she remembered two very important pieces of information: one, that Theron was still on Voss and two, that _Voss_ was a problem that would have to be dealt with when she returned.

"Because I've got no reason to stay. Besides," Kzuroc added, catching up to her, "I've already talked to Zaara. She thinks it's a good idea, me joining up with your Alliance. For real, I mean. Says the security team on Odessen could use a bit more muscle, and I've got nothing better to do anymore."

"What happened to tracking down mother dearest?" she prodded in a sing-song voice, jabbing a code into the keypad. The shuttle locks clicked and slowly — so _painfully_ slowly — the door began to slide open.

But Kzuroc simply followed Rei into the shuttle, standing at the entrance and taking up nearly the entire doorway. "Figured Zaara told you. She's dead. Put a little spring back into my step this morning, when I heard about it. So K'krohl says, anyway."

The news was enough to finally earn Rei's full attention, and she turned sharply on her heel to glare at Kzuroc. "Just like that? She's dead? Iza — the woman you continue to claim is my mother?"

"Just like that." He shrugged. "Her ship was drifting, headed straight for Port Nowhere. They hailed the ship, no response, and a buddy of mine was one of the scavengers fighting over who got to take it. Said he thought he recognized the body — even sent me a holo. 'Course, it was hard to tell. Whatever happened, it happened a while back."

She was hardly listening anymore, too distracted by the odd sort of relief that was flooding through her; Rei had thought, at first, that perhaps she _wanted_ a family, that maybe she could find the same sort of kinship and belonging that she'd found among the Sith and the few she called _friend_. But family was a funny thing — in her experience, it was nothing more than people clinging to each other despite sharing nothing between them but a name. Rei had friends that she loved, friends she would die for — perhaps death was a bit too dramatic; but she'd _consider_ it, at the very least — but family was something thrust upon a person without any warning or care.

Like Kallig who, quite honestly, was a pain in the ass.

But that still left Kzuroc, who'd somehow managed to worm his way into Zaara's good graces; Rei still wasn't sure why exactly the agent had taken a shine to Kzuroc, but she _had_ and it was making it considerably more difficult for Rei to keep him out of her life. She felt, for a moment, the slightest bit of kinship with Kallig.

In her case, at least, she hadn't pinned her legacy on Kzuroc.


End file.
